The Smart Agency’s Guide to Recurring Revenue in 2025
Want stable income? Learn how creative agencies use recurring revenue models like retainers and productized services to scale.
William Nzewi
This guide is for creative agency owners, freelancers, agency project managers and financial decision-makers (in creative firms) who are tired of the "feast or famine" grind, and are looking to generate recurring revenue where the income stream never runs dry.
Do you get lots of projects one month, then practically zilch the next? This piece is for you. So do well to read this guide to the end.
We'll kick things off, making a case for recurring revenue models. Then, we'll look at those models in detail along with agencies which are finding success with them.
Next, I'll give you surefire strategies to get the best out of your chosen model. We'll then clear the air, answering a few questions about these models.
Who says predictable income for agencies is a pipe dream? Brace up. It’s about to go down!
Let's step in the ring, mate.
Where's your agency at in terms of revenue?
Is it a supercharged fighter jet taking to the skies, gaining altitude every second? Or does it feel like a rollercoaster ride at Disneyland where you’re busy (with large projects) some months, then idle and fretting where the next paycheck will come from, on others?
I know…
It’s hard to grow a business when income is up one day then down the next like the Dow Jones. And every month sees you starting over from scratch. An unending treadmill grind.
Thankfully, all hope isn't lost. You can do something about it.
What exactly?
Adopt a recurring revenue model which offers certainty and stability.
The tide is already building. The subscription model, for example, is projected to swell to a mammoth $1.5 trillion industry by 2025. Yes, trillion. Many are fast becoming believers too with 70 percent of businesses agreeing that recurring revenue models are the future.
With only 10 percent having taken the plunge so far, it means there's still time (and hope) for you.
So what's in it for you with recurring income models?
Stable Income
With recurring revenue, you at least have an idea of what's coming in each month. No matter the package plan—maintenance plans, memberships, or retainers, the important thing is that those payments come in regularly without you doing extra work.
That way, you have enough cash flow to plan for future expenses and salaries.
Ideally, you'd want to continue growing your business even more but you'd do just fine if you don't.
Planning for Future Becomes Easy
Because you have steady money coming in, you can make smarter choices about the future of your business.
You can…
Higher Agency Valuation
I'm not saying sell your business, but if that day ever comes, you'll be sitting pretty at the negotiation table.
Why?
If you’re thinking about selling your agency in the future, a strong recurring revenue makes your business more valuable.
Buyers like and find more valuable businesses with…
This means you'll be able to attract more potential buyers and sell your agency at a higher price.
Convinced? Let's now dissect the various recurring revenue models available to you…
Here are models which work well for creative agencies.
A retainer means your client agrees to pay you a set amount each month in return for a specific amount of service.
Instead of pricing every project separately, you and your client agree on a set fee that covers a certain amount of service.
For example, you might say…
“For $500 a month, we’ll provide 12 social media posts and 3 short-form video clips”
Or as a graphic design agency, you can offer “30 designs for $1,000 a month”.
This lets you plan your workloads, salaries, expenses and project profits in advance.
Your team will also know exactly how much time to set aside for each client.
A good example is Superside, an On-demand demand service.
Superside offers monthly design subscriptions where companies get a dedicated creative team on retainer. Clients pay a flat monthly fee for ongoing access to services such as motion graphics, branding and presentation design.
They're trusted by over 500 brands among whom are big hitters such as Amazon, Meta and Lyft.
Retainers create a win-win situation for both your agency and your clients.
For your agency…
Predictable Income
You know how much you’re going to get each period. This makes it much easier to manage your cash flow.
Easy to Plan Resources
Your team can plan their workloads and schedules without wondering what’s going to come in next.
Higher Profits Over Time
Instead of starting each project from zero, you already have ongoing relationships in place. That reduces the time and money you’d normally spend on selling your services over and over.
For your clients…
Consistent Service
They know exactly what they’re paying for each month and can count on you to deliver.
Saves Time
Not everyone enjoys haggling prices and timelines for every new piece of work.
Stronger Relationships
Because it's a recurrent deal, you become a true creative partner. Someone who knows their goals, preferences and style.
Productized services are defined packages with clear pricing and delivery timelines.
Instead of custom pricing each time, you create a product—a logo package, website landing page, a website maintenance plan, blog content bundle, brand template kit or a social media content pack—that clients can buy on a recurring basis.
Instead of pricing and scoping each project from scratch, you package your services into a clear product—with a set price, delivery time and defined outcomes.
Your clients know exactly what they’re buying and you know precisely what you need to deliver.
One of the most well-known solo-run productized design agencies is DesignJoy.
DesignJoy runs on a productized model where unlimited design service is packaged, billed monthly and managed through a client portal.
Clients pay a monthly fee for unlimited design requests. Simple, scalable and built around recurring billing. DesignJoy counts Nectar, Beehiiv and Laravel as clients.
Why does this model work so well?
Easy for Clients to Buy
You present your service as a product with a clear price and delivery time.
This spares your clients lengthy negotiations and confusing pricing structures.
Easy for You to Deliver
Your team knows exactly what’s expected. This makes delivery smoother and more efficient.
Your workflows become more streamlined and as a result, boost efficiency and reduce stress.
Scalable
Once you create a clear process for delivering a service, you can handle more clients without adding lots of complexity.
This is how businesses grow faster and more efficiently.
The goal with this model is to keep delivering value long after the initial project is finished.
Instead of losing that client, you stay on to help them keep their website, campaigns, or designs up to date.
For a website design agency, this might be ongoing maintenance and small tweaks.
For a video production team, it might be updating content or adding short clips regularly..
This way, you stay involved with your clients for the long haul. It saves them the stress (and expense) of finding a new provider every time a small need arises.
And you? Put more money in your pocket. Win-win.
If you choose this model, take time to study WP Buffs, one of the most popular examples of a maintenance-focused business.
Other agencies and freelancers even resell their services as white-label support.
What do the folks at WP Buffs offer?
They provide WordPress website maintenance and support at a fixed rate. This covers updates, backups, security, speed optimization and 24/7 support.
Some agencies find success offering memberships—a set fee that clients pay each month to be a “VIP” client with certain privileges and benefits…
Take Copyhackers, for example, which sells copywriting membership with access to premium copywriting lessons, community forums and expert sessions.
Many creative agencies and freelancers subscribe to Copyhackers to sharpen their skills. Copyhackers itself is a business built on recurring memberships.
Now that I've shown you what's possible, let me also highlight how you can get this to work for you.
Apart from selling your time or creativity, you can also sell your experience, knowledge and your advice.
And the best part? Clients will happily pay for it month after month so long it helps them.
Many clients aren’t just looking for a logo or a website. They also need advice. Unlike project work, coaching doesn’t require designing full assets. Most of the value comes from live calls, messages, reviews or feedback.
This makes it easier to fit into your schedule and also to scale.
One prime example is Dan Mall who offers design systems coaching and consulting for agencies and in-house teams. He’s a solo consultant who works with major brands and agencies on monthly retainers.
Here are a few things you should do to get the best out of your offering.
Be Clear About What’s Included
Make sure your clients know and understand exactly what they’re paying for each month.
Your pricing page or your proposal should clearly explain that.
Do you offer website maintenance? 7 major fixes a month.
Do you sell written content instead? 6 long-form articles a month.
You get the point? No confusion.
If you're in doubt, borrow a leaf from Brett Williams’ DesignJoy.
Provide Transparent Pricing
Except you want to get killed—financially, don't play the Russian roulette with your pricing.
It's no game, mate. So make it clear how much each package costs and what’s included.
I see it all the time. Confusing or downright misleading pricing pages with hidden clauses. Don't do that, buddy.
See how WP Buffs does it? You don’t have to offer that many price tiers, though, except it absolutely makes sense.
Set Expectations from the Start
You'll avoid problems if you set clear expectations from the start.
How much revision do you allow each month? How quickly does your team respond to requests? What’s not included in the package?
Automate Billing and Payments
It's 2025! Manual billing ought to be criminalized. Joking, of course. But seriously, why go through the drudgery of collecting payments by “hand” when you can automate the whole thing? Don't you have better use for your time? I'm sorry.
Managing payments manually each month isn't only boring and hard, it's messy and prone to mistakes. You risk losing money!
Instead, use a platform that lets you automate payments and subscriptions.
ManyRequests makes this pretty easy. Simply set up recurring payments and invoicing, and spare yourself the stress of going the manual route. Even your clients will appreciate this.
Monitor Profitability and Workload
Track key metrics regularly. Are your packages profitable and manageable for your team? Are you putting in more hours than you’re charging for?
Are there tasks you should cut back on or streamline? Should you adjust pricing or what’s included in your packages to keep them profitable? You've got to be reading those reports to know what actually goes on in your business.
Manyrequests let's you carry out comprehensive analytics
Track everything…
Agency performance—team capacity, profitability and client satisfaction.
Glean information from requests your agency works on.
Track billable hours like a pro to get a clear picture of how time is spent in your agency.
Want to see who spends time on which task and for which service or client? Easy stuff.
Provide Great Communication and Support
If you're serious about keeping customer churn rate down, make sure your clients have total access to you and feel supported and valued.
Many agencies are so bad at this. Don't be like them. Respond in minutes to client requests and messages rather than hours or even days.
A solid client portal (like ManyRequests) solves all these problems for you in one go.
In ManyRequests, you can manage all your agency operations in one place. And our clients can make and view their requests, timelines and payments all in one place.
Let me tell you a little more…
Like I've already told you, doing this stuff manually will wear you out faster than a poorly paced HIIT session.
You have to receive and execute client requests, stay in touch with team members and clients, and process payments.
ManyRequests, a platform built specifically for agencies, streamlines the whole thing, making sure you get paid on time, while keeping your clients happy.
All-in-One Client Portal
Your clients get their own portal where they can…
Automate Billing and Payments
With ManyRequests, you can set up subscriptions that automatically charge your clients each month.
This way, you receive payments without undue friction or follow-up.
For example, DarkRoast, a Canadian subscription-based graphic design service, has been using ManyRequests for a long time to automate their operations including payments.
Provide Transparent Communication
Your clients would want to keep tabs on their requests. They can do so easily in ManyRequests, tracking progress directly from their portal.
Your team can send messages, progress reports and timelines all in the same place.
Handle Your Packages in One Dashboard
Manage your services from a single platform. See which clients are active, which payments are due and which requests need your team’s attention.
Easily Scale Your Operations
As you grow and add more clients, you'll need a tool that can handle your increasingly complex operations.
ManyRequests lets you create different price plans, set limits and customize services without needing to rebuild everything from scratch.
Your team will be able to handle more clients without feeling overwhelmed or disorganized.
Try out ManyRequests here.
Now, to the questions…
Recurring revenue is money your agency earns on a regular basis (weekly, monthly, or yearly) from long-term client relationships instead of one-off projects. This kind of income is more stable and easier to predict.
The best recurring revenue models for creative agencies are retainers, productized services, maintenance packages and memberships.
Look at what clients frequently request for. If they need constant support, a retainer might fit. If they want predictable, fast deliverables, Productize your service. You can also test out different models to see what works for your business.
Use tools that help you stay organized. A client portal like ManyRequests lets you manage requests, billing, and communication in one place.
As I close, I want to say thank you to you for reaching the finish line. It means a lot to me. Thank you.
So where do you go from here? One word—implement.
Yes, apply what you've learned, using ManyRequests to streamline your operations and make your life easier.
Start here.
See you on the next one.
